Expanding jamb



Jan. 31, 1967 E. R. HAWS ETAL 3,300,899

EXPANDING JAMB Filed Oct. 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AITGRNEYS 1N VEN T 0R. t RNEJT ROBERT HAWS BY a: BERT W P/PER FTEi.

V Wi United States Patent ()fi ice 3,300,899 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 3,300,899 EXPANDING JAMB Ernest Robert Haws, Allen Park, and Bert W. Piper, Redford Township, Mich., assignors to Robert Haws Co., Melvindale, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 402,155 7 Claims. (Cl. 49-321) This invention relates to an expanding jamb and more particularly to an expanding jamb for use with trolly supported partition forming panels, mounted upon one wall.

It is common practice in connection with the use of large rooms such as auditoriums, meeting rooms, gymnasiums, etc. to provide a series of wall forming panels supported from an overhead track by trolleys, the trolley supported panels being adapted to be arranged in end to end relation to form a partition dividing the large room into a plurality of smaller rooms. With such an arrangement it is necessary to provide some means for causing the panels to assume a tightly abutting relation. The expanding jamb of the present invention is designed to serve this purpose.

An object of this invention is to eliminate the need for locking devices contained within panels which are normally used for securing a panel in place.

Another object of this invention is to insure that a series of trolley supported panels suspended from a track maintain a close touching relationship so as to form a rigid wall.

Another object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive, easily installed, and simply operated means for forming a series of panels into a rigid partition.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for sealing a series of panels in locked relation to one another which is inconspicuous in a room and which does not detract from the decor.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims described herein.

Referring now to the figures:

FIGURE 1 shows a series of trolley supported panels suspended from a track in a ceiling structure and forming a partition with the jamb of the present invention located on the left-hand wall.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic top view showing a series of panels in a storage position.

FIGURE 3 shows the interenga-ging edge walls of the panels in the engaged position.

FIGURE 4 shows the interengaging edge walls of the panels in the disengaged position.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view of the jamb in the contracted position taken along the line 55 in FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG- URE 5 and showing the jamb in the expanded position.

FIGURE 7, a horizontal sectional View of the jamb in the contracted position taken along the line 77 in FIGURE 5.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the jamb of the present invention is adapted for use with a series of panels 52 having trolleys 54 which are supported by storage tracks 58 anchored in the ceiling of a room. Storage tracks 58 perpendicularly intersect a room dividing track 50. Switches 56 are adapted to rotate trolleys 54 into alignment with either track 50 or tracks 58. Panels 52 have vertical edge walls 60 formed with projections 62 and recesses 64 adapted to engage with similar panels when arranged in end to end relation.

To secure panels 52 in place so that they form a rigid partition, they are move-d one at a time from the storage position along the tracks 58 to switches 56. At this point, the trolleys 54 are rotated into alignment with track 50 and then each panel is moved to the right as viewed in FIGURE 2. This movement changes the relationship of the panels from a face-to-face relationship to an end-to-end relationship as shown in FIGURE 1. At this point, the edge walls 60 of the panels 52 are not tightly engaged and each panel can be independently moved along the track 50. The jamb of the present invention, generally designated 66, is mounted on wall 10 in line with track 50 and is adapted to shift panels 52 into tight end abutting relation.

Referring to FIGURES 5 and 6, a mounting plate 11 made of aluminum or similar material is securely attached to side wall 10. Plate 11 is mounted so that its center line perpendicularly intersects the center line of the track 50 installed in the ceiling. Attached to the mounting plate 11 is a guide bracket 12 which, in this embodiment, is a U-shaped plate with its legs 13 projecting outwardly. Legs 13 may have their outside surfaces covered with a trim strip 13a for decorative purposes. A front plate 14 is connected to guide bracket 12 by pairs of links 17 and 18. Front plate 14 is generally U-shaped and is adapted to nest within guide bracket 12 with its inwardly projecting legs 15 adjacent and inside the legs 13 of guide bracket 12 so that substantial sidewise movement of front plate 14 is prevented. The inside surfaces of legs 13 have sound insulation 19 laminated thereon. The outer face of the bight portion of plate 14 is covered with a compressible, resilient material 16, such as vinyl covered hard rubber which serves as a seal between front plate 14 and panels 52. Front plate 14 terminates above the floor of the room. A rigid stop 33 is attached to the lower end of plate 14 and extends inwardly thereof. A piece of resilient, compressible material 34 such as rubber is fixed to stop 33 and provides a seal with the floor.

Front plate 14 is connected with guide bracket 12 by links 17 and 18. Links 17 and 18 are pivotally attached at their lower ends to mounts 20 as at 28. Mounts 20 are secured to the guide bracket 12. Links 17 and 18 are also pivotally attached at their upper ends to mounts 22 as at 30. Mounts 22 are secured to the inner surface of front plate 14. Links 17 and 18 while connecting bracket 12 and front plate 14, allow front plate 14 to be laterally translated away from the guide bracket 12 about pivots 28 and 30. Suitable securing means such as bolts 2-4 and 26 are used to secure the mounts 20 and 22 to guide bracket 12 and front plate 14 respectively. Mounts 20 and 22 are aligned in vertical spaced relation. The topmost mount 36 on front plate 14 extends slightly above the top of front plate 14.

Resilient means such as springs 32 connect the links 17 and links 18 so as to urge front plate 14 toward bracket 12.

A hydraulic cylinder 42 is pivotally anchored to bracket 46 as at 44. Bracket 46 is anchored to the ceiling. Piston rod 40 pivotally connects cylinder 42 to the topmost mount 36 as at 38.

To tightly interengage the edge walls 60 of the individual panels 52 for forming a rigid partition after the panels are aligned on track 50 the hydraulic cylinder 42 is actuated thereby transmitting a downward fonce through piston 40 to link 36. This downward force rotates links 17 and 18 clockwise as viewed in FIGURES 5 and 6 about pivot 28 against the force of springs 32 thereby moving front plate 14 downwardly and away from wall 10. As front plate 14 moves outwardly, the hydraulic piston 42 rotates about pivot 44. Upon expansion, resilient material 16 covering front plate 14 engages the panel next adjacent the jamb. Continued expansion engages the edge walls 60 of the successive panels and forces the end panel adjacent the opposite wall against the wall. While expanding, front plate 14 also moves downward thereby compressing material 34 between stop 33 and the floor. This compression provides a good seal between the jarnb and the floor. At this point, the panels form a rigid partition. To remove the partition, the pressure exerted by the hydraulic cylinder 42 is released. Springs 32 rotate links 17 .and 18 counterclockwise about pivot 28, thereby contracting the jamb. Contraction continues until stop 33 hits bracket 12. With the pressure so released, the panels 52 once again can be moved independently toward switches 56 and then on to storage tracks 58.

We claim:

1. In a building structure of the type having an overhead track extending between a pair of opposite walls for supporting a series of panels in end-to-end relation so as to form a vertical partition therein which extends between the floor and the overhead track to divide the structure into two rooms, a j-amb for engaging the endmost of said panels and expandable to cause said panels to assume a tightly abutting relation comprising an upright support member fixedly secured to one of said opposite walls in vertical alignment with said track, said support member having a plurality of links pivotally supported at one end at vertically spaced points on said support member for swinging movement about a horizontal axis which extends perpendicular to the plane of said panels when arranged to form said partition, a vertically extending jamb spaced from said support member and parallel therewith, the other ends of said links being pivotally connected to said vertical jamb, said links being inclined upwardly from said support member in parallel relation, said jamb extending vertically from adjacent said overhead track to adjacent the floor and terminating at its lower end at a level above said floor, means forming a compressible pad at the lower end of said jamb, means normally biasing said jamb upwardly and toward said support, power means for driving said jamb downwardly and away from said support under the control of said links, said pad being dimensioned to be compressed into sealing engagement with the floor when the jamb is driven downwardly and away from said support and means extending between and closing the space between said jamb and said support at opposite ends thereof.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned means comprise a pair of telescopically engaged side members on said support and said jamb which guide the jamb for movement in a straight vertical plane toward and away from said support.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said support and said jamb comprise a pair of channel-shaped members telescopically engaged in nested relation, said last-mentioned means comprising the opposite legs of the channels.

4. An expanding jamb for use in a walled structure which includes means extending from one wall to an opposite wall for supporting a series of movable panels to partition said structure comprising a pair of channel members disposed in opposite nesting relation, means for mounting the first of said members on a wall of said structure in a vertical position, a parallelogram linkage connecting said first channel member with the second of said channel members, said linkage permitting movement of said second member in -a "vertical plane away from and toward said first member, resilient means urging said second member toward said first member, and a fluid operated cylinder operably connected with said second member for moving said second member away from said first bar, said jam-b being positioned on said wall so that upon expansion said second member abuts the endmost of said series of panels thereby moving them into rigid interengaging relation.

5. A jamb as defined in claim 4 including a resilient compressible pad fastened to the lower end of said second member, said pad being serving as a seal between said second member and the floor of said structure.

6. A jamb as defined in claim 5 including a stop member extending inwardly from the lower end of said second member toward the first member, said stop having said pad attached thereto and being adapted to limit the extent contraction of said jamb.

7. A jamb as defined in claim 6 wherein said parallogram linkage shifts said second member downward-1y when said second member is moved away from said first member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 121,701 12/1871 Brown 20-12 885,703 4/1908 Stose 20--12 1,865,568 7/1932 Johnson 2012 X 2,299,573 10/1942 Fairhurst 20-12 X 2,670,505 3/1954 Gall 20-1'2 X 2,929,445 3/1960 Haws 16040 X HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. KENNETH DOWNEY, Examiner. 

1. IN A BUILDING STRUCTURE OF THE TYPE HAVING AN OVERHEAD TRACK EXTENDING BETWEEN A PAIR OF OPPOSITE WALLS FOR SUPPORTING A SERIES OF PANELS IN END-TO-END RELATION SO AS TO FORM A VERTICAL PARTITION THEREIN WHICH EXTENDS BETWEEN THE FLOOR AND THE OVERHEAD TRACK TO DIVIDE THE STRUCTURE INTO TWO ROOMS, A JAMB FOR ENGAGING THE ENDMOST OF SAID PANELS AND EXPANDABLE TO CAUSE SAID PANELS TO ASSUME A TIGHTLY ABUTTING RELATION COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT SUPPORT MEMBER FIXEDLY SECURED TO ONE OF SAID OPPOSITE WALLS IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID TRACK, SAID SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF LINKS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AT ONE END AT VERTICALLY SPACED POINTS ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS WHICH EXTENDS PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF SAID PANELS WHEN ARRANGED TO FORM SAID PARTITION, A VERTICALLY EXTENDING JAMB SPACED FROM SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND PARALLEL THEREWITH, THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID LINKS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID VERTICAL JAMB, SAID LINKS BEING INCLINED UPWARDLY FROM SAID SUPPORT MEMBER IN PARALLEL 